Biography for
Clarence Clemons More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

11 January 1942, Norfolk, Virginia, USA

Date of Death

18 June 2011, Singer Island, Florida, USA (complications from a stroke)

Birth Name

Clarence Anicholas Clemons Jr.

Nickname

Big Man

Height

6' 5" (1.96 m)

Spouse

Victoria Clemons	(8 August 2008 - 18 June 2011) (his death) 4 children
Elizabeth Connell-Barr	(5 August 2000 - ?) (divorced)
Christina	(1981 - ?) (divorced)

Trivia

Grew up and around Chesapeake, Virginia.

He was a noted saxophone player for The E Street Band, featuring 'Bruce Springsteen'.

He appeared in the music video and sang in the choir on the song "Voices That Care."

Introduced as the "Minister of Soul", "Secretary of the Brotherhood" on the "Live in New York" album with Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band.

Joined The E Street Band in October of 1972.

Has suffered a stroke [June 12, 2011].

He studied at Maryland State College (now the University of Maryland Eastern Shore) on a football and music scholarship. A knee injury interrupted his football career.

He was a youth counselor in Newark, New Jersey in the 1960s and 1970s when he began playing with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band on the Jersey Shore. He first played with him in Asbury Park in 1971 during a lightning storm.

He was married five times and divorced four times. His fifth wife, Victoria Clemons survived him. He is survived by four sons, Clarence Clemons Jr; Charles Clemons; Christopher Clemons; and Jarod Clemons.

He and the E Street Band (including Steve Van Zandt, Garry Tallent, Vini Lopez, David Sancious, Max Weinberg, Roy Bittan, Nils Lofgren, Patti Scialfa, Ernest "Boom" Carter, and the late Danny Federici) were inducted into the 2012 New Jersey Hall of Fame for their services and contributions to music.

He and the E Street Band are inducted into the 2012 New Jersey Hall of Fame for their contributions to Arts and Entertainment. They are the first group to be nominated for the honor. They include Steve Van Zandt, Garry Tallent, Vini Lopez, David Sancious, Max Weinberg, Roy Bittan, Nils Lofgren, Patti Scialfa, Ernest "Boom" Carter, and the late Danny Federici.

Personal Quotes

[on first playing with Bruce Springsteen in 1971] I swear I will never forget that moment. I felt like I was supposed to be there. It was a magical moment. He looked at me, and I looked at him, and we fell in love. And that's still there.

You had your black bands and you had your white bands and if you mixed the two you found less places to play.

I grew up with a very religious background. I got into soul music, but I wanted to rock. I was a rocker. I was born rock 'n' roll sax player.

I am not out to get laid every night, not looking for the bomb cocaine or weed. I just want to clear my head and see what living on the planet is really like as a normal, well almost normal, human being.